Cozy Glow stood in the throne room of Canterlot Castle, surrounded by guards on all sides.
Princess Celestia was studying her silently, her sister Luna by her side and doing the same. Cozy understood what they were doing. It was a power play. Showed who was in charge. Gave her time to squirm.
However, she would do no such thing. Cozy Glow was made of tougher stuff than this sorry excuse for an interrogation. They underestimated her, just as she wanted them to. These idiots probably thought she was just a stupid filly, a misguided fool who didn't know any better. All she had to do was flutter her eyes and put on a great big smile and say 'Golly!' and they would all become putty in her hooves. Let them underestimate her. They would regret it.
Oh, how she hated them.
A voice broke the silence.
“I just don’t understand.” It was Celestia.
“Understand what, dear sister?” Luna asked, her disdainful expression not changing. Did they have this planned? She had to laugh.
“What would drive a young filly to do what this one has?”
“A noble question, but one I fear we won’t be getting an answer to.”
There was another moment of silence. She could play the quiet game too.
“Well?” Celestia asked. “Do you have anything to say for yourself?”
Cozy looked around the room. “Who are you talking to? Surely not little old me!”
Luna’s nostrils flared. “We have had enough-“
Celestia spread a wing in front of her sister. “Calm yourself. If she has nothing to say, then she has nothing to say.”
“Golly, Princess Luna! You should take some anger management classes!” Cozy smiled. “It’s no wonder you were banished for a thousand years!”
Luna’s glare burned into her.
“Well, if you still refuse to explain yourself, then we need to determine what we’re going to do with you. What do you think, Luna?”
It was Luna’s turn to smirk. “There is the possibility of Tartarus.”
Wait, Tartarus? Where Tirek was?
“But that doesn’t feel apt. Maybe a rehabilitation program?”
No! Go back to Tartarus!
“That sounds like an intriguing idea. I don’t think the School of Friendship would work just yet, but there are other options.”
No, no, no, no, no! She needed to go to Tartarus! These idiots were going to thrust her in some schmaltzy friendship lessons instead? The thought almost made her gag. What could she, with no power at the mercy of these gods, do to convince them otherwise?
No, that was the wrong way to think about this. She, even while surrounded by guards and being stared down by two of the most powerful beings in Equestria, had power here. She just had to remember where she came from, what she was capable of. And, just like that, an idea struck her. Perhaps it would be best if they didn't underestimate her. She fought the urge to smile.
“You want to know more about me?”
The two sisters stopped their deliberations and looked to her.
“…Yes, very much,” Celestia said.
“Then you two better get cozy!” She turned to the guards. “You guys, too. The story of my life isn’t short, after all.”
Celestia opened her mouth, but shut it before a word came out. She had them hook, line, and sinker.
“The story of my childhood is a-“ Crocodile tears formed. “I-It’s a terribly sad story! Golly, the only reason I haven’t told you already is because it pains me so!” She wiped her eyes and sniffled. “I’ll tell you, and then you can decide what to do. I… I hope you change your minds about me!”
If the Princesses bought it, they showed no sign. Still, it didn’t matter. They were letting her talk. If what they knew now wouldn’t get her in Tartarus, then this would for sure. Trying her hardest not to giggle, she began.
“Now, the tale begins at my birth, which my mommy told me all about…”
Author's Note
This idea entered my head and refused to leave. This'll be going through Cozy's childhood, diving into her character, showing how she becomes who she is in the show. And, yes, this will get dark, and she won't be very sympathetic. Now, this isn't meant to be the be-all-end-all interpretation of Cozy. I've enjoyed stories that portray her more sympathetically, but I found this idea too interesting to pass up.
Also, I did not intend that word count until I finished writing this and saw it was 661 words. So, I tweaked some parts until I reached it lol
At 4:44 pm, during a snowstorm, Cozy Glow was born in the Fillydelphia General Hospital.
“Push! Push!”
Moonglow pushed again, andreceived a flash of searing pain for her efforts. A guttural scream burst forth from her mouth.
Childbirth was not fun.
This had been going on for far too long. The doctor warned her that this would be painful. The baby was very large, and wouldn't come out quickly. She considered a C-section, but decided she wanted this done naturally. It was she, and not the baby, that was in danger she rationalized. Needless to say, she was now having second thoughts.
“You’re almost there, honey! You’re almost there!” her husband, Cobblestone, said, placing a comforting hoof on her shoulder. His voice and touch were her rock, the foundation upon which she laid, and, without them, she would’ve crumbled to pieces long ago. She couldn’t imagine how much worse this would be if he wasn’t there.
Another push, another scream. The doctor and nurse were crowded at the end of the bed, ready to deliver the foal.
“Deep breaths, in and out!” the nurse called to her. “The head is out; the worst is over! You’re almost done!”
She did as she was told, panting over and over again. More contractions, more pain. It was so close to finishing she could tell, she just needed a little more…
“AHHHHH!”
With one last wail, it was done. Her head fell back on the pillow, her chest heaving up and down. Exhausted both physically and mentally, she peered down to the other end of the bed, and saw a most beautiful sight.
There, in the steady foreleg of the doctor, was her newborn.
“Do you want to see her?” he asked, already knowing the answer.
She nodded rapidly, barely able to say a word through all the emotions flowing within her. Where she once felt the worst pain of her life, she now felt pure and utter joy.
“You did very well, all things considered,” the doctor said. “It’s been a while since we’ve had such a messy delivery.”
She simply shook her head. As she took the babe into her own legs, she knew it had all been worth it.
Looking down on her new child, pride welled in her heart and tears sprung from her eyes. Just like that, a name came to her. Moonglow’s mother always claimed she was named due to her demeanor at birth. Her appearance apparently glowed like that of the moon. Soft and pleasant, she said. Calm yet strong. Consistent and reliable. It was a strange, abstract way of naming a baby to be sure, and she was certain it was really because she had white fur, but that was her mother for you.
This brand-new child also glowed, but in a different way. She didn’t release a single cry. Her eyes were wide and eager, her babbling mouth turned up in a brilliant smile. If Moonglow radiated a certain glow at birth, then this one was absolutely enveloped in it. Like a cozy blanket on this frigid winter’s day. Now she was thinking like her mother. Perhaps the delirium of childbirth was getting to her…
She nuzzled the newborn. “Cozy Glow,” she said in a whisper. “That’s your name, little one, and never forget it! Cozy Glow! Oh, honey! Isn’t she beautiful?”
“That she is, honey,” Cobblestone said, kissing the top of her head. “That she is. Our little Cozy Glow!”
Cozy Glow gazed upon her parents and giggled.
…
The difficulties of parenthood became clear mere days in.
At first, things were fine. Little Cozy Glow stayed as genial as she was upon her birth, and slept quite a bit. This all changed when she began to want. When she wanted something, whether it be food or a toy or her mother or her father, she let everyone know it through her incessant cries. These always seemed to come at the worst of times. Late at night, for instance.
“WAAAAAHH!”
It was now 2:38 am, and they were woken up yet again.
“Dear Celestia, she never shuts up, does she?” Cobblestone muttered, stuffing his head under a pillow.
She smiled wearily as she slipped out of her blanket. “We’re raising a baby, honey. This is what we signed up for.”
He grumbled into the pillow but said nothing else. It only took a moment to walk to the crib, a couple of feet away. As soon as she looked into it, the crying ceased, replaced with laughter.
“I think she just wanted to see me,” she whispered back to her husband with a smile.
“Tell her she can do that tomorrow.”
Suddenly, the crying began anew. Strange, she barely moved her head.
Moonglow lowered said head further into the crib. “I’m here, sweetie! Mommy’s here!”
Still, the crying did not cease.
“Are you hungry? Is that what you want?” Carefully, she took the baby into her hooves, and began to feed her from her teat. Cozy suckled on it, drinking the milk. Moonglow thanked her lucky stars young babies had no teeth, as the gums where they would be chomped down as hard as they could in their quest for nourishment. Soon enough, Cozy pulled away with a satisfied smack of her lips.
“Better?” Moonglow asked.
Cozy giggled again.
“Better!”
However, as soon as she lowered the foal back in, the crying restarted once more.
“What else could she want?” her husband called out from the bed, tossing and turning.
“I don’t see you helping!”
With a grunt, Cobblestone lifted himself off the sheets and picked up a stray toy, a baby rattle, from the floor. “Here. My contribution.”
She rolled her eyes. “Give it to her, then.”
“Here, Cozy!” He shook the rattle over the crib, the beads inside making a racket. “You want the rattle?”
Cozy stopped crying, and stared at the toy, taking it once it was in range of her grasp. With another giggle, she bit down on it with her gums, gumming it like a dog to bone.
“There! See? All she needed was dear old dad’s expertise.”
“Yeah, yeah. Don’t get all high and mighty because you picked a toy off the ground,” she said with a snort.
They returned to the bed, snuggling together under the covers.
“Goodnight, Cobblestone.”
“Goodnight, Moonglow.”
As soon as their eyelids shut-
“WAAAAAHH!”
Cobblestone sat up with a start. “I swear, she’s crying because she feels like it at this point!”
Moonglow sighed and chuckled under her breath. “Oh, how spiteful of her…”
…
Her first steps occurred nine months in.
It wasn’t as big of a deal as Moonglow expected it to be. In fact, Cozy Glow performed her first steps as casually as a foal could, and the reason why was just as mundane. Simply put, Cozy Glow wanted.
Cobblestone liked to shake the rattle back and forth on the other side of the carpet in the living room, beckoning Cozy to crawl for it. It was a game both were used to.
“Here, Cozy! Come get it!” he said.
Cozy looked to it with laser focus, and began to crawl towards her prize. Just as she reached it, however, Cobblestone moved backwards.
“Gotta try a little harder, Cozy!”
“Cobblestone…” Moonglow said with a glare. “It’s not right to do that at such an impressionable age! What if she never trusts us now?”
“Don’t you think that’s an overreaction?”
“Studies have shown-“
She cut herself off when Cozy stood on shaking legs, and, with what could only be described as determination, began plodding her way towards the toy. Mouth agape, Cobblestone watched as the foal reached him and pried the rattle from his hoof.
He blinked before donning a wide grin. “Heh… that’s my girl!”
With a babble of satisfaction, Cozy chewed on the toy.
…
Her first word occurred on her first birthday.
It was a humble affair, with only some family and friends in attendance at their Fillydelphia home. Still, Moonglow watched as Cozy’s gifts quickly began to pile up on the kitchen table, which Cozy reacted to with visible glee. While she was just a baby, Moonglow liked to joke that Cozy already knew what it meant to own something. After all, she always cried for her rattle or whatever toy she wanted. Taking them away felt like stealing.
Putting Cozy on her back, contorting her wings in such a way that the child wouldn’t accidently fall off, Moonglow began to mingle.
“Oh, she’s adorable!” her friend, Soft Pretzel, said. “And look at those little curls!”
She ran a hoof through Cozy’s mane, which the baby reacted to with a slight cry of distress. While in the midst of growing, it was still apparent that her blue mane would end up with a multitude of bouncing curls.
As she continued to converse with others, a growing theme quickly became apparent.
“She’s the cutest filly I’ve ever seen!” her younger sister said with a squeal.
“Beautiful, I tell you. She’s won the genetic lottery, sis. Unlike you!” her older brother said with a joking wink.
“I thought you were the most precious baby I’ve ever seen, but she’s real competition alright!” her mother said.
“Everyone’s complimenting how cute Cozy is,” Cobblestone said. “And, yeah, I’ve known. But what about us, honey? What about us?”
He always knew how to make her laugh.
He was right about one thing, though. They had known Cozy was adorable for a while. And not just regular baby adorable, but whatever the tier was above that. Her wide eyes that shone with a certain eagerness, her curls that were blue as the sea, her little tiny hooves that tipped and tapped every time she walked, her puffy cheeks… She was like an angel.
However, Moonglow doubted angels wanted as much as Cozy Glow did. Cozy was staring at the gifts, said eager eyes more excitable than ever. Once everypony had left was the time to open them, Moonglow supposed.
It was only two hours later when the last guest was leaving.
"Nice to see you again, Moon!" Soft Pretzel said at the door, putting on her scarf. "Cozy should meet Nugget sometime."
"I'm with you there. Meet up again soon?"
"Of course!" Pretzel said as they hugged. "Goodbye!"
The door opened, briefly letting in the cold air, and then closed. The first sound she heard in the now silent house was Cozy murmuring gibberish from her back.
"Oh, Cozy! It’s time for presents!” she said as she nuzzled her child.
She and Cobblestone approached the kitchen table. One by one, the pile was opened by Moonglow, Cozy by her side. Some were more for her than Cozy, such as a long picture frame that had spots for the first 10 years of the filly’s life. It was from, who else, her mother. Cobblestone oooed and ahhhed whenever she opened anything, taking particular interest in the little white ribbons Cozy received from her sister.
"Aren't they beautiful?" she asked, holding them up.
"They really go with the blue of her mane," Cobblestone said as he looked them over.
"Since when were you so interested in fashion?"
"Got a daughter now. It had to happen sooner or later, right?"
There were further gifts to open, toys and clothes and knick-knacks from various ponies, before there was one left, enveloped in purple wrapping paper. From Soft Pretzel, it said.
With its rectangular shape and heft, Moonglow figured it was a book. One rip into the paper, and she found she was right. In large, golden letters, the title stared back at her from between the tear. Ponicchio. As the cover revealed itself further, she saw the titular wooden colt illustrated in the middle of a village street, a crooked smile on his face.
It came with a note. “It’s a fantastic children’s story. Lots of lessons and morals. I thought Cozy might like it more than my little Nugget would. Enjoy!”
I’m sure she will, Moonglow thought to herself, putting the book aside with the other gifts.
She noticed that whenever she did that, Cozy would approach and eye the gifts up, testing them with her hooves. She now pawed at the white ribbons.
“Mine!” she said.
The parents gasped in unison.
Cozy Glow began to touch the multitude of gifts. “Mine! Mine! Mine!” she said with each gift touched.
“Her first word…” Moonglow whispered.
“Never heard of this one before,” Cobblestone said sardonically. “What about ‘mama’? Or better yet, ‘dada’?”
"And who exactly do you think she heard it from?"
He held up his hooves defensively. "Hey, when's the last time I bragged you were mine in front of her? Months ago!"
Cozy began to flip through the pages of Ponicchio, her clumsy baby hooves having no concern for the damages that could occur as a result.
“Easy there, girl!” Moonglow said as she lifted Cozy away before anything could happen to the book. “Not all of these are toys, you know.”
Cozy began to wail. “Mine!”
Moonglow flinched at the shrill screech. Wasn’t the first word meant to be an important moment? The novelty had already worn out. “Come on, Cozy,” she said, patting the child on the back. “I think it’s about bedtime. You can play with the toys tomorrow.”
She carried Cozy to her crib, the foal yelling all the while.
“'Mine', huh? What a word to choose...” she said as she placed Cozy in the crib, ignoring her continued tantrum. “Why did you choose that word? Did Cobblestone really say it that much? Or maybe I did? You seem to understand what it means, too. 'Mine'... Did you find it that important to label what is yours? Is there some sort of innate ability within you to understand that?”
Cozy stared back up at her, face emotionless. When did she stop crying?
"...Look at me, getting all philosophical with a baby. Goodnight, Cozy, and happy birthday."
Just as she went to leave, Cozy spoke up.
"Mine!" she said again. She was pointing up at her.
"Heh... I guess I am yours, aren't I?" She yawned. "My little angel, Cozy Glow. I am yours, forever and ever..."
…
Her first friendship occurred a year and a half in.
Soft Pretzel invited Cozy over for a playdate with her own daughter, Nugget. Nugget was two years old, a calm and often quiet child. The only reason the two children hadn't met yet was because Soft Pretzel's family ran a pretzel business that was popular in Fillydelphia, which Moonbeam and Cobblestone were frequent patrons of. Now, the schedules finally lined up just right.
Cozy seemed receptive to the new foal she was introduced to, smiling at her immediately. The two mothers placed their children together in the playroom of the house and left them to their own devices. They watched as the children played, chatting all the while.
“We should’ve done this ages ago,” Soft Pretzel said. “Don’t they get along swimmingly?”
Moonglow just nodded. They weren’t interacting much, really. They both sat in the center of the room, toys surrounding them. Cozy was playing with her favorite rattle, while Nugget was hugging a teddy bear to her chest. Cozy looked up to the sight and made her way over to Nugget.
She seized the stuffed bear. “Mine!” she said.
“No, mine!” Nugget retorted, moving to take it back.
“Mine!” Cozy screeched, hugging the bear to herself. She glared at Nugget, as much as a year-and-a-half-old foal could glare. The older child backed off.
“Cozy!” Moonglow exclaimed, picking her up. “You can’t just take what you want. How would you feel if somepony took your rattle?”
Cozy pouted as she let go of the bear. Nugget took it back in an instant.
“Thank you, Moon,” Soft Pretzel said with a sigh. “Guess I spoke too soon?”
“They’re only kids, it should be fine.” Moonglow put down her child. “Go on, have fun!”
Cozy shook her rattle and glanced back at Nugget, the other child catching the look and freezing like a deer in headlights. Cozy made her way over. It wasn't in an aggressive manner, it was actually quite calm and friendly, but it made little difference. Nugget abandoned the bear at the first sign of movement. Cozy laughed and began to play with both toys, hitting the bear over the head with the rattle multiple times.
Moonglow sighed before going to scold Cozy yet again. What a child she had...
...
Her first visit to a child psychologist occurred two years in.
The family went on a trip to the Wissahockin Trail on the outskirts of Fillydelphia. It was an easy, pleasant trail, perfect for pushing a stroller through. It traveled along the edge of a large creek, giving one a great view of the surrounding nature. The three of them sat on a bench next to the creek, having stopped to snack.
Cobblestone watched as a pony walking a dog passed them by. “You want to get a dog?”
“While we still have to deal with this one?” Moonglow asked, handing a piece of her pretzel to Cozy.
“Why not? I heard some breeds are great with kids.”
“I heard some breeds basically are kids.”
Cozy, chewing on her food, shook her rattle in contentment. With one particularly powerful shake, the toy flung from her grip and on to the dirt below. It continued to roll until it went off the edge of the trail into the creek below. She immediately set to crying.
Cobblestone cursed as the creek’s current carried the rattle downstream. “There’s no way we’re getting that back!”
“Well, we’re going to have to think of something!” Moonglow said, covering her ears at the loud screams.
He shook his head. “The problem is we give into Cozy every time she complains. We need to teach her that you don’t always get what you want.”
“So... We don't get her a new rattle?”
Cobblestone snorted. “It’s a toy, she’ll survive. We’ve got plenty more at home.”
However, as they traveled home, the crying never stopped. It felt as if Cozy’s vocal chords were made of steel they were so strong. As they presented every toy they had at her, the crying never stopped. No matter what they tried, the crying never stopped.
"Are you hungry, Cozy?" Moonglow asked, presenting a bowl of chopped grapes.
For a brief second, the crying did stop. Cozy's eyes dried and stared at the bowl, and then at her. Then, with a blink, she threw the bowl to the ground and began crying yet again.
“Jeez, this kid’s a different beast...” Cobblestone said as he saw the mess on the floor.
"I'm scared for her, honey," she said, tearing up. "All these cries and screams aren't good for somepony her age! It can hurt their eardrums, let alone their vocal chords-"
"It'll be OK, honey," he said rubbing a hoof on her back. "She needs to see a shrink; there's no way this is normal. Let's search around."
It wasn't long until they found one. Warm Heart was her name, a child psychologist who was among the most heavily recommended in Fillydelphia. Of course, when they brought Cozy to see her, the foal was as calm as can be.
"Well," Warm Heart said, "many children at this age experience temper tantrums. They usually occur because the child is frustrated they cannot express their needs correctly."
"But we tend to her needs all the time..." Cobblestone muttered.
"It's not just the tantrums, it's the amount of them. It feels like they happen constantly," Moonglow said.
Warm Heart rubbed her chin. "You said they usually revolve around her toys? Such as the rattle?"
"Yes. It was her first toy, and, until she lost it, she held on to it all the time."
Warm Heart nodded. "Many children form attachments to toys. Its often a source of familiarity in a world full of new things they are unsure about."
Cobblestone quirked an eyebrow. "So, it would actually be better if we get her a new one?"
"I didn't say it's healthy, and I'm not saying to give into her tantrums. That's the worst thing you could do. However, such a sudden change as has occurred here is rarely the best way to do this. You can't just let her cry and hope it'll end sometime. Make the transition gradual. Set limits. If she acts as nice as she has during this meeting, then reward her for it. And ensure that you can be as much a source of comfort as the toy."
"Thank you for your advice, Warm Heart. It means a lot," Moonglow said with a sigh.
"No problem!" she said as she approached Cozy. She ran a hoof through the blue curls. "You've got a wonderful child here."
And so, in the end, they bought her another rattle. Of course, it came with the stipulation that Cozy couldn't have it whenever she wanted. They wanted to gradually wean her off of it, after all. It made little difference to Cozy. When they presented it to her, she hugged it to her chest with a laugh.
"Mine!"
Author's Note
This will most likely be the only chapter not from Cozy's perspective. Out of these first three chapters that I published at once, this was definitely the most difficult for me to get down.
Cozy Glow enjoyed playing with bugs.
Lifting her hoof, she enjoyed watching the little things scurry around as the shadow enveloped them before slamming it down with a satisfying CRUNCH. Or a slight POP if they were little. Those even smaller, such as ants, made no noise at all. Their little black bodies always stuck to the bottom of her hooves, but that wasn’t as bad as the splattered remains of the beetles.
However, honestly, it was getting a little bit old.
It was the same result every time. They die, snuffed out because she willed it. That wasn’t very exciting. If she had power here, why not flaunt it?
Her eyes focused on the dirt patch, and found a singular ant journeying to who-knows-where.
“Hello, Mr. Ant!” she said as she blocked its path with her hoof. “You wanna play a game?”
The ant tried to go around the hoof, so she just moved it over.
“It’s a swimming game. If you swim hard enough, you’ll win! Got it?”
With no further prompting, she spat on the ant. To her disappointment, not much happened. The ant struggled in the glob of spit, but gave up and stopped moving soon enough.
“Aw darn… Guess you lose.”
“Cozy Glow!” a voice called out. “Dinner!”
It was her mommy, of course. She always made her dinner.
“Coming!” she replied.
She forgot about the ant and trotted towards her home, her stomach growling. She really was hungry.
“There’s my girl!” her daddy, fresh from work, said as soon as she entered the kitchen, hoisting her up in a bear hug. “Ready for school tomorrow?”
She just wanted food. “Yes, daddy! I’ll try super hard.”
“Oh, I know you will,” he said as he put her down. He sniffed the air. “Are those hayburgers I smell? Oh, honey, you shouldn’t have!”
“Well,” her mommy said as she placed the tray of hayburgers on the table, “I figured since it’s Cozy’s first day of grade school tomorrow, we should celebrate a little!”
“I certainly agree with that notion! Work was killer today.”
She didn’t really know what it was her daddy did for work. Apparently, it had something to do with cement or whatever.
“Can't relate,” her mommy said with a grin.
Mommy’s job was easier to understand. She was a teacher at the school Cozy was about to attend. She wouldn’t be in her class though.
As her parents continued to banter, Cozy ignored them and sat at the table. Licking her lips, she took two hayburgers from the tray and began to chow down. Her mommy always knew how to cook.
“Wow, you really devoured those! Long day in the yard?” her daddy asked.
She nodded. “I found this really big beetle, and then I pulled its legs off! Now it’s just a little lump,” she said with a giggle.
Her parents shared a glance, though she couldn’t tell why.
“Cozy… We’ve been over this. Remember what Warm Heart said?” her mommy asked.
Oh. She had already forgotten about that.
“Uhh… Don’t take what isn’t yours?”
“Good lesson, but not what I was looking for.”
“Be considerate of others?”
“Getting warmer.”
“…Stop pulling the legs off bugs?”
Her mommy sighed and face-hoofed. “Close enough. It’s needlessly cruel, and it worries me how casual you are about it. So, please, stop it? For your mother?”
She threw the last bite of the hayburger in her mouth and chewed. “But they’re bugs. What’s the big deal? I don’t get it.”
Her daddy chuckled as he bit into his own meal. “You never played with bugs as a kid, honey?”
“No!” her mommy replied. “I’ll have you know I don’t have a cruel bone in my body.”
“That wasn’t what I thought during our honeymoon when you-“
“Don’t finish that thought!”
Cozy Glow grumbled, even if her stomach didn’t anymore. She just wanted food, but now her mommy was lecturing her again. Why did it matter what she did to the bugs? It was easy to do. Surely, what was easy was natural. Maybe-
Despite herself, she yawned.
“Looks like somepony is tired,” her daddy said with snicker.
She fought the urge to glare at him. “Am not!”
“You’ve got a big day tomorrow,” her mommy said. “You should be going to bed early anyway. Here, I'll tuck you in.”
"But it's early!"
"It's almost 8. Come on."
She felt the desire to slap her mommy in the face. However, she knew there was no point in arguing or doing such things. That would just worsen the situation. With a groan, she left the kitchen and followed her mommy to her bedroom.
“Hey, sweetie," her mommy said as she jumped into bed. "How about I read you a bedtime story? It's been a while.” She picked up a book from the shelf next to Cozy's bed and held it between her hooves. Ponicchio,the cover said. “Remember when I read this to you as a baby?”
Cozy shook her head.
“Oh, you loved it. Plus, it’s got some nice morals to it that I think you’ll appreciate more than another lecture from me.”
She was correct. Cozy stared at the cover in interest, having seen it many times before but not with more than a passing glance. A wooden pony wearing a hat stood in a village, a slight, almost mischievous, smile on his face.
“Keep what I read to you in mind when you go to school tomorrow, OK? It’s all important.”
What did she even mean by that? “Sure, mommy.”
She nodded in satisfaction. Opening the book, she cleared her throat. “Centuries ago there lived-“
And thus, the story began. Old Cornmeal Mush created a foal out of talking wood named Ponicchio, the marionette immediately getting into all sorts of mischief. Cozy found herself entranced at what Ponicchio was doing. Mere chapters in, and he already landed his father in jail! Here was a foal who had a freedom that she could only dream of. He did what he wanted, when he wanted.
His encounter with the Talking Cricket is when her attention was truly piqued. The bug had insulted Ponicchio and told him to obey his dad. What did the puppet do in response?
“At these last words, Ponicchio jumped up in a fury, took a hammer from the bench, and threw it with all his strength at the Talking Cricket. Perhaps he did not think he would strike it. But, sad to say, my dear foals, he did hit the Cricket, straight on its head.”
Cozy blinked. “Did he kill it?”
“He did,” her mommy said. “Ponicchio disrespects and disobeys his father Cornmeal Mush, and shows us he has many lessons to learn. The Cricket tries to teach him, but Ponicchio doesn’t want to hear it. In a fit of pointless rage and cruelty, he kills it.”
“So, he’s the bad guy, right?” Cozy said with a sigh.
“Oh, not at all! More like… a flawed hero. Even if somepony has lessons to learn, it doesn’t mean they’re bad.”
Cozy Glow considered those words.
Her mommy smiled. “Do you understand what I’m trying to tell you?”
No. “Yeah...”
“I know how much our lectures can bring you down, make you feel bad about yourself. Just learn from your mistakes, like, I assure you, Ponicchio does eventually. Even if you have your problems, it doesn't mean you're bad in any way. As long as you understand what you did was hurtful, you can improve.”
The story only partway complete, she closed the book with a slight thud.
“But what happens next?” Cozy asked.
“Oh, you know what happens in the end. Besides, it’s late enough. I’ll read more to you tomorrow. Goodnight, Cozy. Love you!” She kissed her on the forehead and then left the room, turning off the lights as she did.
Cozy sighed and closed her eyes. The events of the story swam in her mind. Her mommy was acting like Ponicchio was in the wrong, but she had a hard time seeing it that way. What 'mistakes' were there to learn from? Everything he did was in the service of his own happiness, and she couldn’t fault him for that. That Talking Cricket situation… she realized she probably would’ve done the same thing.
No matter. School tomorrow.
She closed her eyes, and dreamt she was in control.
…
Her mommy walked with her to school. Grade school would be different than preschool, she warned once again. You couldn’t do what you wanted. You couldn’t cry or complain all the time. You couldn’t hoard toys because there were no toys. It sounded interesting, like a challenge of some sort. The next level.
With a hug and a kiss, her mommy left her in front of her classroom. Cozy went into it, ignoring the passing glances of the chattering foals. It was a small classroom, multiple rows of cramped desks facing a chalkboard in the front. The far side across from the door featured a row of windows, which showcased a couple of green trees and little more. Her teacher, a fat, middle-aged mare, was already there standing at the front, name scribbled on the chalkboard next to her. Cozy had a hard time making it out, but it looked like it said, ‘Miss Butt Ball’. That couldn’t be right, could it?
“Hello there!” Miss Butt Ball said to her, holding up a folder in her magic. “Aren’t you a cute one! What’s your name?”
“Cozy Glow.”
She flipped through the folder, and stopped on a certain page. “Ah, it’s nice to meet you, Cozy Glow! I’m Miss Butterball, your teacher. Your assigned seat is… over there.”
Miss Butt Ball pointed to a seat next to the window in the second row. In front of it was a unicorn colt, behind it a pegasus filly, and next to it another pegasus fully. Cozy was also a pegasus filly. There were quite a lot of them in this class.
“Hi,” the one next to her said as she took her seat. Light blue mane, darker blue coat. Rather bland. “My name’s Raindrop! What’s yours?”
She forced a crooked smile. “Cozy Glow!”
The one behind her scooted forward in her seat, eyes eager to meet the newcomer. White mane, grey coat. Also bland. “I’m Downpour. What was your name again?”
The smile twitched. “…Cozy Glow.”
The Rain Sisters was what she decided to call them. Even though they clearly weren’t sisters.
The colt in front of her glanced back, but diverted his eyes when she caught them. “What’s your name?” she asked.
His eyes widened. Golden mane, brown fur. A little more interesting. “Uh… M-My name is Golden Fields…” he mumbled, staring at the floor with a blush. What a boring name.
She studied the ponies that surrounded her further. The Rain Sisters and Golden Fields. She didn’t know what to think just yet, but she decided she wanted to play with them. “Hey, guys! You wanna play a game at recess?”
The Rain Sisters nodded in unison. “Of course!” Raindrop (or was it Downpour?) said.
“E-Even me?” Golden Fields asked.
“Sure!” Cozy replied.
“Everypony settle down!” Miss Butt Ball suddenly called out, cutting off whatever the colt had to say in response. The chattering lowered into a hum. “Hello, and welcome to your first day of grade school! My name is Miss Butterball-”
Cozy tuned out the introduction. Miss Butt Ball was fat and breathed heavily as she talked. It was exhausting to listen to her. She instead thought of the game she had set up for recess, planning what was going to happen in her head.
She was brought back to reality when Golden Fields passed back a stack of papers to her. Shaking her head, she took one and passed back the others
“What did Miss Butt Ball tell us to do?” she asked as she looked the sheet over. It asked a bunch of different questions such as ‘What is your favorite food?’ and ‘What is your favorite color?’.
Downpour (or was it Raindrop?) chuckled. “'Butt Ball'! That’s so funny!”
Butt Ball cleared her throat. “Raindrop, I thought I told you to stay silent as you fill these out?” the teacher said with a slight glare. That shut her up.
With a shrug, Cozy decided she knew what to do.
Favorite food? Hayburgers. Maybe pretzels.
Favorite color? Blue, like her mane.
Favorite book? Ponicchio, she supposed.
Favorite hobby? Playing with bugs.
…
It was now recess.
Her mommy was right. Grade school certainly was different than preschool was. Recess was the only playtime of the day, the rest spent listening to Miss Butt Ball drone on about vowels and consonants and additions and subtractions.
Now, however, it was time to play. She would show her new friends what she was made of.
Recess was held in a grassy yard, dotted with a few trees. The other students were scattered around in various groups. Cozy and her three new friends sat under one of the trees.
“What are we playing, Cozy? What are we playing?” Downpour asked excitedly.
“It’s a chasing game. If you run away hard enough, you win! Got it?”
“So, tag?” Raindrop asked.
“Yeah, like tag! Except whoever is 'it' must catch everypony, not just one. Plus, we’ll need a base where you are safe… Like this tree right here!” She pointed to the tree they stood under. “You can’t start there, though.”
“I’m not very fast… but I’ll try,” Golden Fields said. He kept staring at her, and she couldn’t tell if it bothered her or not.
“I’ll be 'it'!” Cozy volunteered. “I’ll count from 10 and then we’ll begin! Ready?”
The other three nodded.
Covering her eyes, she began to count.
“Ten! Nine! Eight! Seven! Six! Five! Four! Three! Two! One!”
Opening her eyes, she immediately saw Golden Fields. The foal was watching her from across the yard, behind another, smaller tree. Cozy smiled, and began to run for him. He visibly gasped and ran away, but she was clearly faster. She touched him in no time. Easy.
Turning back towards the base tree, Downpour was making a run for it. With a burst of adrenaline, she galloped in front of her. Downpour tried to back up and go around, but Cozy simply moved over. Blocked from the base, Downpour went to retreat. However, it wasn’t long until Cozy had her in her grasp. Too easy.
Two down, one to go.
“Hey, Cozy!”
Cozy turned to the excitable voice. The source was Raindrop, who was grinning wide.
“You can’t catch me!” she said in a sing-song voice before making a run for the base.
And then she herself was on the run. Raindrop was rather fast, but she knew that she was faster. That she was better. All she had to do was remember the little crushed ants on her hoof. That was all this was.
Raindrop was so close to the base, giggling to herself as if she wasn’t in trouble. How wrong she was.
With a deep sucked in breath, Cozy leapt forward. It wasn’t enough to touch Raindrop, but it was enough to reach the fur of her tail. With a hard chomp, Cozy bit into the fur. She held on for dear life as Raindrop squealed in pain and collapsed into a heap on the ground. Cozy spat out the chunk of fur she ripped out, and slammed a hoof on Raindrop’s back. Easy as pie.
For some reason, her friend was crying.
No matter. Smiling in triumph, Cozy leaned down next to her ear.
“I win!”
Author's Note
All italicized sections are quotes from the original Pinocchio with only small, pony-related alterations. And, yes, in the original book Pinocchio has Gepetto thrown in jail and kills the equivalent to Jiminy Cricket within the first few chapters lol
